Mobile phone virus sounds alarm in Moscow

The world's first mobile phone virus, capable of sending itself between handsets, has been discovered by an internet security company in Moscow.

The Cabir virus is designed to attack the top-of-the-range models of brands such as Nokia which use the common operating system Symbian.

It is disguised as part of the phone's own security software. Once inside, it activates the wireless information transfer system known as Bluetooth.

Each time the phone is turned on it searches for other phones nearby with Bluetooth and then sends itself to the first of them. While it is active the phone's screen displays the name of its security software, Caribe, and is inoperable.

Experts say it is the first virus that can spread between mobile phones without the help of a computer.

Although it does not have any malicious effect, experts say it is only a matter of time before programmers adapt it to damage phones or have them call premium rate numbers or send nuisance text messages.

Olga Kobzareva, a spokes woman for the company that identified the virus, Kaspersky Labs, said: "We see this virus as a conceptual development. It does not represent a direct threat to telephone systems, but could spark the creation of a series of other really effective viruses."

A company press release said the virus had been made by a computer expert called "Vallez", who is thought to be part of the infamous 29a international group of virus writers who specialise in proving that certain concepts - such as a phone-to-phone virus - are possible.

The first mobile phone virus, Timofonica, appeared in Spain in June 2000, and sent thousands of derogatory emails to computer users. It could also send SMS messages to random phones through an internet website.

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for the anti-virus company Sophos Plc, said Cabir had not yet been released on public phone networks, and was unlikely to have an "impact on the street".

But he added: "There is now the potential to create more malicious ones that could.

"Once you have a virus it is as though a malicious user has control of your telephone."

Cabir appeared to affect only a handful of phones, but its potency is still being studied.

Ian Volans, a spokesman for the GSM (global system for mobile communications) Association, said: "So far the group [that created this] has chosen to be responsible and not send around malicious versions."

He said the industry had expected such a virus and had ideas about how they could tackle viruses which were bound to spread as phones became more sophisticated.